[2] James Boyd was a steadfast Royalist, joined the Association at Cumbernauld in favour of Charles I in January 1641, he was one of the Committee of War for the South 16 April 1644,[3] and for Ayr 24 July 1644,[4] and 18 April 1648.
[5] He was included in the list of the nobility to be summoned to the Committee of Estates, in Cromwell's letter to Lieutenant-General David Leslie 17 January 1650,[6] and was fined £1,500 under the Cromwell's Act of Grace on 12 April 1654,[7] a sum afterwards, 9 March 1655, reduced to £500.
[8] His steady support of the royal cause appears to have financially embarrassed him, as he was obliged to wadset several portions of his estate to Sir William Cochrane of Cowdoun.
[9] Lord James is said to have paid great attention to the trade of Kilmarnock, and to have established a school in the town for "the educatioune and learning off zoung ones"[sic].
[11] Lord James married, prior to 1640,[12] a woman named Catherine, the second daughter and co-heir of John Crayke of the city of York, the eldest, but disinherited, son of Ralph Crayke of Marton, Yorkshire.